Ubisoft's official YouTube description states the stream will see Ubisoft "unveil its most important Quebec growth plan in 20 years!".

A similar message has also been shared on the developers Facebook page.

Stand by for some big news...

Ubisoft is hosting a surprise press conference this afternoon in which it's expected to announce a brand new game.

The conference will be hosted by Ubisoft Montreal, who has promised: "the biggest announcement from Ubisoft in Quebec in 20 years".

It's largely expected that the announcement will be for a new game - Ubisoft Montreal has been working on the Watch Dogs and Far Cry series for the last few years, as well as helping out with the Assassin's Creed franchise too.

But it's just as likely that Ubisoft Montreal could be announcing a brand new game IP.

There's also the possibility that Ubisoft Montreal could be working on a new game as part of one of the publisher's other franchises: Beyond Good and Evil, Splinter Cell, Rayman, Prince of Persia and others are all potential targets for new games.

It also stands to reason that this could be a more corporate announcement: yesterday, Ubisoft’s founders (the Guillemot Brothers) acquired another 1.75% of the company’s share at $2 million, spending €56.25 per share.

The family previously owned 13.6% of the company making, and as of yesterday's transaction, they increased that share to a total 15.35%.

As of the purchase, Ubisoft stated:

"Ubisoft has been informed that Guillemot Brothers SE and a bank have entered today into an agreement related to the purchase by Guillemot Brothers SE of a maximum number of 2,000,016 shares of Ubisoft representing c. 1.75% of the share capital of Ubisoft."

This purchase seems intended to reduce the voting share that Vivendi - a company seemingly attempting to take over the publisher - has in Ubisoft's share capital.

Some commentators suggest today's announcement could be to announce a relocation of Ubisoft head offices to Canada, in the wake of the on-going jostling over shares.